Portable fire extinguisher



May 20, 1924.

G. SCHWORETZKI' PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHIEFR Filed Sept. 2. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 \k I l M, m MMMMM MS N mllilillui N 1- May 20 1 924.

' G. SCHWORETZKY PORTABLE FIRE EXTiNGUISHER 3 Sheets-e'et 2 Filed Sept. 2 1921 1 wmvrafi: 9 W

Ill/l/l/I/fl/IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIII Patented May 20, 1924.

UNETED STATES GUSTAV SCHWORETZKY, OF ESSLINGEN-ON-THE-NECKAR, GERMANY.

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application filed September 2, 1921. Serial No. 498,046.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV SoHWoRn'rzKY, a citizen of the Republic of Germany, a resident of 12 Turmstrasse, in the city of Esslingen-on-theNeckar, Wurttemberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire EX- tinguishers for which I have filed application in ermany, July 13, 1918; England, July 9, 1920; Spain, June 30, 1920; Hungary, June 18, 1920; Czechoslovakia, July 5, 1920; Holland, July 14, 1920; Sweden, June 16, 1920; Norway, June 29, 1920; Denmark, July 22, 1920; Poland, July 10, 1920; Belgium, July 2, 1920;

France, July 9, 1920; Italy, July 1, 1920';

Austria, July 1, 1920; Switzerland, June 80, 1920), of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to automatic fire extinguishers which are adapted to be carried by the operator and to be moved from one place to another so as to conform to all possible conditions.

In its preferred form of construction the device consists of two detachable parts, one being the carrying frame which is also adapted to serve as the receptacle for the extinguishing medium, and the other of two alternate operating pressure cylinders.

The carrying or transportation frame is preferably made up of two substantially lenticularly-shaped hollow wheels connected to each other by a hollow axle so as to be in communication with each other, the wheels containing a liquid which is preferably guarded against freezing by the addition of suitable chemical agents and which may be admitted to the empty pressure cylinder by gas under pressure preferably obtained from the operating pressure cylinder. These pressure cylinders, each of which are connected by cross plates or the like, may be mounted upon the shaft of the carrying or transporting frame, and they may be so arranged as to be provided on the one hand with a supporting rod adapted to serve as pole beam for the carriage, and on the other hand with a hose reel or the like. The liquid to be ejected is admitted to a common hose conduit by means of two valves. The extinguishing cylinders may be operated in the usual manner by means of cartridges upon the opening of which or by the insertion of which gas under pressure or some other operating fluid may be generated.

The extinguishing cylinder and the carrying and transporting frame are disconnected from each other as soon as there is any impediment offered to the movement of the device, such as a. steep hill, mountainous track or the like. After the separation has been effected the extinguishing cylinders are immediately in position for being carried by the operator by means of a rear extension of the pole beam being provided by an extensible tube. Where the device is to be carried a long distance and it is possible to wheel the device, the cylinders may be transported separately, making use of the hose reel as a wheel.

These and other important featuresdistinguish the device according to my invention from the previous structures, in some of which. the ejection receptacles arerigidly mounted in a four-wheel carriage of comparatively large width, the receptacles being arranged side by side, instead of in succession and in a horizontal plane, and being, moreover, rigidly connected to the supply tank arranged above them, and from which they are adapted to be filled.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pressure cylinders,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus with the wheel removed,

Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the apparatus,

Fig. 4 illustrates the cover of one of the pressure cylinders in closed position, the open position of the cover being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a view of the front end of the pole beam, partly in section,

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the liquid conduit of one of the extinguishing cylinders and the admission conduit of the hose reel.

Fig. 7 is anenlarged sectional view of the two-way cock mounted between the pressure cylinders,

Fig. 8 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the construction of Fig. 7 the section being taken on a transverse plane,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the hollow wheels,

of the pressure cylinders in the carriage,

F 13 is a sectional View of the detail of construct-ion,

Fig. 14 is a modification of the structure illustrated in Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of this detail of construction,

Fig. 16 is a view showing the guide means of the pressure cylinders in the cross beam or of the cross handle bar of the carriage,

Fig. 17 is a View of the hollow cylinders detached from the wheels, in the carrying and carting position, with the supporting tube extended, and,

Fig. 18 shows the apparatus in the braking position.

The wheel a, as appears particularly from Fig. 11, is secured to the hollow axle 0 by means of the screw Z, while the wheel a is rotatably secured on the axle, and is tightened by means of the stufling boxes 3 and 4. Only the wheel a is provided with an opening 2 for the charging and discharging of the fluid (Fig. 3). If the extinguishing liquid after the removal of the plate '0 (Fig. 13) is admitted, through a tunnel or otherwise, it flows first into the lower part of the wheel, until the level of the liquid has reached the hollow axle 0 when the liquid enters through the passages 6 (Fig. 11) into the axle and through the tube 0 into the wheel a. For the discharge of the air from this wheel the vertical pipe 8 is provided, from which the air may be discharged to the outside (Figs. 1315) by way of the small pipe 9 mounted in the interior of the axle, and the small pipe 10 in the somewhat enlarged pipe 7 of the flange of the wheel a, and thence into the pipe 11, passage '12 and the flange plate w. As soon as the level of the liquid has reached the edge of the charging opening 2 the flange plate to with the plate 4) is closed by the tightening of the screw 13 (Fig. 13). Instead of the plate q) I may also make use of the plate 41 (Fig. 14) connected to the extinguishing cylinders b which are preferably suspended from the hollow axle, and are connected to the plate o by the'hose lines 8 and 8 (Figs. 3, 8, 9 and14). These hose lines are in communication with the two-way cock 4% (Figs. 1, 3, 7, 8 and 9) which establishes the communication of the cylinders with the wheel 04 according to the position of a lever 14, one end of which rests against the covers d (Fig. 7 and which can only be operated after the opening of one of the two preferably hood-shaped covers 0? of the extinguishing cylinders, as appears particularly from Fig. 4 of the drawing. When the cylinder becomes empty, it is opened and thus made ready for the reception of a new charge. For this purpose the lever 14 is moved into the middle of the open cylinder. By this means the tube 15 of the cook a "is moved into the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in which position the two cylinders are in connection with the wheels. The pressure gas of the operating cylinder passes through the bore in into the passages 16 and i of the cock tube 15, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 7. It then passes through the passage 18 ot' the two-way cook a and thence into the hose 3, and through the latter and by way of the passage 12 and the small pipes 11, 10, 9 and 8 (Figs. 13, 11 and 10) into the air cushion existing above the level of the liquid so as to force it out of the wheels. In this way the liquid is forced into the pipe 0, and into the hollow axle 0, and through the passages 6 into the wheel a, and it is then forced up into the pipe 0. The extinguishing liquid then passes through the flange plate to and into the hose 8, and then through the cook a in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 7 and into the empty cylinder below the top 19 of the same (Fig. 4). When the cylinder is full of liquid the lever 14 is turned back into its original position, that is to say, until it rests against the cover of the other cylinder. Communication to and from the cylinders is then interrupted again, but for such time only until the other cylinder is likewise emptied whereupon, after the closing of the first cylinder, the cover is opened and the lever 14 may also be moved in the direction of this cylinder. vious that, when a supply of extinguishing liquid may be obtained from other sources,

It is obthe liquid in the wheels should be econo always forming the required air cushion automatically in the filling of the cylinders by means of the hollow covers. The covers may be hingedly connected to each other, but not to the cylinders, so as to be perfectly detachable therefrom which is of advantage for cleaning the cylinders.

When the cylinders which are secured together by means of the plates 29, are in operation, the liquid passes first through the slide valve which is opened by the levers g and 9 (see Fig. 12) causing the round slide 21 to be raised, and in consequence thereof the cartridge to for the pressure fluid is opened by means of the bolt 24, and the apertures or passages 22 of said slide are moved so as to register with the passages 23 of the valve casing, thus allowing free passage of the extinguishing liquid on which the pressure of the fluid escaping from the cartridge 10 is made to act, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 11. After the liquid has passed around the gasifier chamber 8 1 it passes into the annular channel 25 formed by the cartridge 14 and the tube t and into the cross tube 9 (Fig. 6) and then into the automatic valve 3/ operating in the usual manner. By means of this valve the extinguishing liquid of the alternately operating cylinders is admitted to a common conduit 34; (Fig.1) connected to the short piping 26 from which it may pass into the axle or the shaft of the reel It. From this shaft the liquid passes into the sprinkling hose wound upon the reel in the usual manner.

In order to cause the'wheel a with the pipes 0 and 0 to assumeitsproper position with respecttothe flange w of the opening upwards, that is to say, opposite the twoway cock at, when the apparatus. arrives at the place of the fire, a spring actuated looking bolt 2; (Fig. 16) is provided in the handle f of the carriage which handle is rotatably secured in the wheel axle by means of the sleeve 6. If the bolt .2 is released it will engage with the projection 27 provided on the Wheel a. The disengagement of the locking bolt is effected by withdrawing the preferably four-cornered rod m which is rigidly connected to the extension tube Z (Fig. 5) from the tubular pole beam Z after the disengagement of the locking bolt 28 which is effected by the operator at the front part of the pole beam during the transportation of the apparatus. This causes the slot 29 (Fig. 12) to register with' the hood of the spring actuated bolt 2 which is then projected and thus releases the pin 32 of the bolt 2'.

The engagement of the bolt 2' with the projection 27 and with the wheel a, and the thereby'resulting complete braking of the wheel and of the carriage, allows the cylinder to be completely raised 'into the ejecting position. This erection would however be interfered with by the fact that the partly inclined position of the cylinders, their bottom parts by projecting beyond the wheel tire would necessitate the raising of the wheels for a certain amount, say about four inches, unless provision would be made of releasing the locking of the cylinders in the carriage frame simultaneously with the projecting of the bolt 2. This object is accomplished by causing the end of the bolt 2 which effects the disengagement of the bolt 2 to project far enough from the slot 33 in the handle 7 (Fig. 10) that the cylinders are released, that is to say, that they only remain displaceably suspended in the carriage by means of the grooves and ribs 30 (Fig. 16). By this means the elevation of the wheels upon the raising of the cylinders into the position of Fig. 2 is avoided; the cylinders being displaced instead of that along the axis 0 or along the bars 6 of the handle The sheetmetal plate Z (Fig. 2) mount ed on the extension tube Z and serving as a'stop upon the upward movement of the rod m serves'at the same time as a protection against the undue wear of the extension tube Z, when this tube is used for the braking of the carriage by th raising of the pole beam in the mannershown in Fig. 18.

The screw bolt 31 (Fig. 11) in the wheel a serves for the purpose of screwing the pipe of in and out, which may become. necessary for preparing the carriage for shipment, because, if the screw Z and the pipe 0 are unscrewed, the carriage may be easily taken apart so as to detach the wheels and the hollow axl from each other, and thereby to economize space.

In the pipes 1', which also serve as stays for the carrying frame, emergency cartridges u may be arranged (Fig. 3);

I claim:

1. A fire extinguisher comprising in combination, hollow disc-shaped wheels, a hollow axle connecting said wheels and pressure cylinders detachably mounted on said axle.

2. A fire extinguisher comprising in combination a frame, a handle connected to said frame, hollow wheels, a hollow axle connecting said wheels, pressure cylinders on said frame, a pole beam on said frame, an extension tube displaceable on said pole beam, a manipulating handle on said pole beam, spring actuating means connecting the pressure cylinders with said manipulating handle and spring actuated locking means connected to said wheels.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising in combination hollow wheels serving as receptacles, an intercommunicating axle connecting said Wheels, pressure cylinders operatively connected to said wheels, a two-way cock operatively connected to said Wheels and to said cylinders and connecting said hose lines on said pressure cylinder, a supporting plate connected to said hose and operatively connected to said two-way cock, so as to allow pressure fluid to be fed from the operating cylinder into the wheels, and extinguishing liquid to be fed into either cylinder that may be empty.

4:. In combination with a fire extinguisher, a two-way cock, a lever operatively connected to said cock, pressure cylinders on said extinguisher, covers on said cylinders, and an enlargement on said lever adapted to become engaged-with the walls of the cylinder covers, so as to be actuated only when one of the cylinder covers is in the open position.

5. 'A fire extinguisher com rising in combination hollow disc-shape wheels, aper &

tured fluid admitting means in one of said wheels, a hollow shafting communicating with said wheels and pressure cylinders detachably connected to said shafting, tubular venting and charging means in the other Wheel and communicating with the hollow shafting and communicating means between said shafting and the first mentioned wheel.

6. In combination with a fire extinguisher, hollow disc-shaped intercommunicating wheels in spaced relation to each other, pressure cylinders operatively connected to said wheels, substantially funnel-shaped top parts on said cylinders and covering and closing means registering with said top parts, said means being of substantially concave downwardly open hoodlike shape.

7 In combination with a fire extinguisher, spaced hollow intercommunicating wheels, pressure cylinders. operatively connected to said wheels, covering means on said cylinders and connected to each other, and detachably mounted on said cylinders.

8. In combination with a fire extinguisher and sprinkler, a system ofhollow intercommunicating wheels in spaced relation, a system of pressure cylinders detachably connected to said wheels, axially extensible carrying and supporting means on said cylinders, reel shaped carting means connected to said cylinders and connecting hose adapted to be detachably connected to said cylinders and mountable on said carting means.

9. In combination with a fire extinguisher, a system of spaced hollow wheels, a hollow shaft detachably supporting said wheels, pressure cylinders detachably mounted on said shaft, locking means on one of said wheels, tubing within said wheels and com municating with said shaft, said locking means being engageable with said shaft and said tubing.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

GUSTAV SCHWORETZKY. Witnesses: I

C. WAGENER, H. HAsKs. 

